Everybody Wants to Rule the World
by CSI Encyclopedia
Summary: West Wing College AU
1. Chapter 1

**AN: So I was inspired by another WW fanfiction ( ****_We've Got Strength and Health by a_man_falls_in_a_hole) (Ao3) _****and decided to give the trope a try. This is my first WW fanfiction. **

**The college/university in question is fictional. PS- I'm British, so any mistakes regarding the American educational system are all mine. Or the internet's.**

**I decided to set the story in modern day. The characters are starting their 2nd year. **

**Any ideas are greatly appreciated.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own The West Wing. I am just borrowing the characters and will return them to their rightful owners (somewhat intact).**

**Chapter One-**

CJ Cregg looked around her new bedroom with a relieved smile. She'd managed to find a room in a large shared house, just off campus, which meant she didn't have to share sleeping quarters with anyone again. Last year's dorm situation was still giving her nightmares.

"CJ, babes, you coming to the store with me?" Her best friend, Ryan, questioned from the doorway.

"Nah, Mom and Dad took me to the store on the way here. I'm just gonna chill here." She replied.

"Okay, I'll be back in time for the house meeting." Ryan said as he wandered off.

They'd met last year at the dorm meeting and had quickly become best friends. He made her go out and have fun, rather than hide away from the world. He'd made her become so much more outgoing than she'd ever been in Dayton. So, moving into the same house this year was an easy idea.

She'd yet to properly meet the rest of the house. The landlord had informed them that they seemed to be a varied bunch. However, what was daunting was, the fact that they all knew each other from last year and were well established friends.

She put her headphones on and turned on some music, lounged back on her small double bed, and let her body relax.

She was in her own world for a while before the sound of someone knocking on her door pulled her out of her daydream. Stood there was 2 women, one with dark hair and the other with blonde hair. She pulled her headphones out and motioned for them to come in.

"You must be CJ," The dark haired female spoke, "I'm Carol and this is Donna."

"I would introduce myself, but seems you've done your homework." CJ joked, "It's nice to meet you, please sit down."

The girls perched on the end of the bed. The blonde female, who she now knew as Donna, was the first to speak.

"The guys will come introduce themselves, eventually."

"So, who's who around here?" CJ asked, "I mean, I already know Ryan, I don't know if you've met him yet, if not he's just gone to the shop but should be back soon."

"Yeah, we met him in the kitchen earlier." Carol replied, "You two together or…?"

"Ryan and I?" CJ laughed, "Nah, I'm not his type. Wrong sex."

The girls just nodded at the information.

"Well, we have a total of 10 of us in the house, equal split of males to females." Donna stated, "Female wise, you've met us two. There is also Ginger and Ainsley."

"Male wise, you already know Ryan. We have Toby, Josh, Sam and Danny." Carol continued, "Sam, Toby, and Josh are best friends, Danny was originally friends with Josh, he interviewed him about something last year."

"Carol and Sam have pretty much the same classes. I lived with Carol in dorms last year. Ainsley and Josh are both pre-law. Ginger and I shared a criminology class together." Donna added, "I think that is how the group was formed."

CJ nodded, taking the information in, "Ryan and I were in the same dorm last year also, so that's how we met." She put forth.

"So, you decided what you're declaring yet?" Carol questioned.

"Political science with a minor in communications." CJ replied, "You?

"Communications with Creative Writing minor."

"Undecided." Donna mumbled, "I haven't found the right fit yet."

"It'll happen eventually." Carol said.

They continued to converse about themselves until Ryan wandered into the room.

"Hey, house meeting time." He said before walking out the door, followed by Donna and Carol.

CJ placed her headphones on the bed and followed the girls out of her room.

This was going to be interesting.


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: Okay, so this is the second chapter and picks up where we left off. Also I have based the house off of my 2nd year university accommodation. (Sort of) (Just without the loud housemates)**

Chapter 2

The communal living room was pretty amazing. Besides a large TV screen fixed to the wall, there were 3 large sofa's, with a coffee table between them, a breakfast bar which had a window looking into the kitchen (just without glass) and a pool table.

CJ noticed the various people around the room, the 2 females that she hadn't met were playing a game of pool. There was a sports game on the TV and all 5 guys were sat watching it avidly.

"Right, pause the games people," Donna shouted, "Sooner we do this, sooner we can get on with our lives."

"Bossy much today, Donna?" One of the guys jested, earning him a smack on the head.

"Someone has to keep you in line, Josh." Donna replied, sitting on the sofa next to him.

CJ wandered over to the sofas and sat herself next to Ryan.

The games were paused and everyone migrated to the sofas.

"Okay, so most of us know each other, however, I felt it best to do a little ice-breaker so the new guys can get to know us." Carol piped up.

"Not one of those really lame ones that they made us do during orientation, you know, where you tell an interesting fact about yourself or some other bullshit." A dark haired guy with a beard spoke.

"No Toby, just a go around and introduce yourself sort of thing." Carol replied, "I'll go first and we'll go clockwise. I'm Carol."

"Ginger." The redheaded girl spoke up.

"Ainsley." The other blonde went next.

"Sam." A very young looking guy spoke.

"Toby."

"Josh."

"Donna."

"CJ." CJ said, casting her eyes over the group.

"What does that stand for?" The red headed guy next to Ryan asked.

CJ shook her head and mimed zipping her lips.

"Claudia Jean, though she might slap you if you call her that." Ryan said, earning said slap on the arm, "Ow, way to prove my point, Legs, and I'm Ryan. Hi."

"Don't call me _Legs_, fucknut." CJ muttered, folding her arms across her chest.

"Noted. Danny." Danny added from the end of the sofa.

"Okay, now that is over with." Carol continued, "We need to come up with house rules, so that no-one ends up trying to kill someone for stealing food, Ainsley."

Ainsley looked up with an innocent smirk, "I didn't know it was your candy bar, sorry."

Ryan burst out laughing, "Label your food sounds easy enough, or buy a mini fridge and store it in your room."

Carol nodded and wrote down on a piece of paper, "Rule 1- Label your food and if there is no label, ASK first before eating."

"Keep communal spaces clean and tidy, please." Donna spoke.

"Neat freak." Josh mumbled, earning an elbow to the ribs.

Carol wrote down the second rule on the paper, "I'll type these up afterwards, print them off and post them around the house."

"Partners cannot stay 24/7 unless the contribute to the rent." CJ added, "My roommate last year had her boyfriend over all the time and I would've liked some privacy."

"Got it." Carol said, writing it down with a smirk.

"Keep the noise to a minimum, ESPECIALLY after 9pm." Danny said, "I swear I was ready to kill the idiot in the room next to me last year."

"I agree with that rule, I like my sleep." CJ agreed.

Carol noted down the rule.

Everyone eventually had contributed at least one rule and they had managed to fill a single side of A4 paper. A weekly cleaning rota was drawn up also and they agreed to a set date, once a month, for a spring clean day.

The guys went back to watching the game after they finished.

CJ decided that she was going to head back to her room and relax. She didn't notice Danny staring at her as she walked out the room. Ryan, however did notice, and just rolled his eyes and smirked. This was going to be fun.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

CJ was knackered. It was late. She had just finished a shift at the campus bookstore, where she had spent the past year working, and was now looking forward to grabbing a bite to eat followed by chilling in bed with some TV. Luckily, her and Ryan had a system in which they shared the cooking and tonight, it was Ryan's turn.

She wandered into the house, noting the light noises coming from the main living areas. She walked into the kitchen with a smile.

"What's for dinner?" She asked Ryan, who was talking with Danny and Josh, whilst cooking.

"Cheese and Broccoli pasta." Ryan replied, "I'm fine by the way, thanks for asking."

CJ just laughed and pressed a kiss to her friend's cheek, "How was you day honey?" She joked.

"Don't we get a kiss too?" Josh asked with a pout.

CJ shook her head, "Don't know you well enough yet, you could fall in love with me and I can't break your heart before the end of the school year, that'd be awkward." She bantered back, "I have to live with you."

Danny chuckled at the pair before turning back to load the dishwasher.

"More like you'd fall for me." Josh shot back.

"Unlikely, Mi amore." She turned back to Ryan, "I'm just going to change out of this, back in a min."

With that she wandered out of the kitchen.

"I didn't know she worked at the campus bookstore." Josh spoke.

"Yeah, she loves working there," Ryan replied, "Plus, she likes the staff discount as well."

"Bookworm?" Josh asked.

"Oh yeah, given half a chance, she would live in her room with a book," Ryan smirked, "My role is to make sure she socialises with other human beings."

"She can't be that bad?" Danny piped up from the dishwasher.

"Sometimes she can. She doesn't do socialising very well."

"Seems like she's got the hang of it to me." Danny responded.

"Yeah, give it a couple of weeks and she'll revert to old habits again," Ryan stirred the pasta sauce on the stove, "We balance each other out, she reminds me that there is such a thing as too outgoing, and I remind her to have a life, go out, have fun, get laid."

"That last one shouldn't be a problem for her, have you seen those legs?" Josh added with a whistle.

"Oh yeah." Danny said with a dreamy look on his face. CJ seemed to like wearing shorts around the house, since it was so warm at the moment.

"Man, you've got it bad." Ryan said with a smirk.

"Doesn't he just." Josh joked back. He'd also noticed that his friend seemed to have a crush on the leggy brunette.

"I have no clue what you are on about." Danny mumbled, he hoped that they had no clue about his _thing _for CJ.

The guys continued to tease Danny for a few minutes but were interrupted by CJ walking back into the kitchen.

She had changed out of her uniform and was wearing a white crop top, that showed off her toned stomach and sparkly belly bar, and a pair of grey pyjama bottoms.

"Roll on Monday, I'm so fucking bored." CJ said as she sat down on the counter top.

"What's your first class?" Josh asked.

"Intro to methods of Political Analysis." CJ replied, "I got Thornton this year."

"Thornton is great but really tough." Josh smiled, "Taught me loads but made my life hell."

"Just cause she wasn't blinded by your so called brilliant mind." Danny mocked.

"Aw, someone wasn't impressed by you being a know-it-all," CJ continued, "How tragic."

"She's got you pretty much summed up there." Danny smirked at Josh, before dodging a dish cloth being thrown at his head.

Ainsley walked into the kitchen with a smile and proceeded to open and reach into the fridge, before pulling out a pitcher of a fruity looking cocktail. She then walked over to her assigned cupboard, pulled out a glass and a packet of potato chips.

"You going to a party?" CJ asked, noticing the tiny black dress and heels she was wearing.

"Yeah, you fancy coming with?" Ainsley replied.

"I'm knackered, just finished work." CJ glanced over at Ryan, who was now dishing up the food, "Maybe another night."

"Okay, sounds great." Ainsley placed the pitcher back into the fridge, "I'll see y'all later then."

With that she wandered out of the room.

Ryan handed CJ a bowl of pasta and a fork.

"I'm going to take this and hibernate in my room if that's okay?" CJ questioned.

Ryan just nodded, "Gym session tomorrow around 1?" He asked.

"Sounds good." CJ jumped down from the counter, "See you guys later."

The guys just stared as she walked out of the kitchen.

"Pool anyone?" Ryan asked.

The guys agreed and headed out into the lounge to play pool.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Monday rolled around fairly quickly and CJ was more than ready for her first class. She'd grabbed her MacBook, a notepad, pencil case and textbook, shoving them into her laptop bag, before rushing out of the house.

She arrived at her lecture with 5 minutes to spare. She grabbed a seat near the front of the class, not too far to the front though, and unpacked her bag. She loaded up her note taking software on the computer and, also, the lecture recording app. She had asked her lecturer if it was okay to record the class to assist her in her studies. Luckily, Louise Thornton, her lecturer, had been okay with the idea.

Just then, Louise walked in. She walked to the desk at the front of the room and loaded up her slides for the day's lecture.

"Welcome all to Introduction to Methods of Political Analysis. As you know, I am your teacher for this class. So let's get down to basics…." Louise began.

The class felt like it went on for an age for CJ but 2 hours later, it was over. She wandered out of the lecture theatre and into the bright sunshine.

She looked down at her watch, calculating the time it would take to head across campus to meet up with Ryan for lunch. Ryan had a pre-med anatomy class with Dr Bartlet, the female side of the college's academic power couple.

"Hey CJ!" A familiar voice shouted.

CJ turned and noticed Danny walking over to her.

"Hey," She replied and waited as he caught up with her, "How'd your first class go?"

"Great. Applied journalism looks like it'll be fun. What about you?"

"Hopefully it gets better. Our lecturer managed to make someone cry." CJ paused, "I'm off to meet with Ryan for lunch, if you want to join us?"

Danny nodded and the pair began the walk across campus to the laboratory facilities.

"So what were you and Ryan talking about last night?" Danny asked, "Something about a cow called Gene?"

"Ryan and I have been watching Fringe, it's this TV series similar to The X-Files." CJ smiled, "It's hard to explain, you'd have to watch it for it to make sense."

"Is it any good?"

"Yeah, I mean seriously, It is AMAZING."

"I guess I'll give it a go," Danny said, "I did love The X-Files growing up."

"I practically grew up on it."

The pair walked in silence across the campus from that point. CJ had noticed that she enjoyed spending time with Danny. He was laid back, great at holding an interesting and intelligent conversation, funny, and was very easy to get along with. It also helped that she was also kind of attracted to him as well.

She, however, hadn't realised that the feeling was mutual.


	5. Chapter 5

**AN: In response to a review, a new character has been added. If you wait, the other characters are arriving soon, I am just trying to work out where to place them. **

**Chapter 5**

They found Ryan stood outside the lecture theatre looking particularly frazzled.

"How was anatomy class?" CJ asked as they walked up to him, "Found this one wandering around by himself, figured I'd bring him along. Can't leave nutters like him on the street."

"Hey!" Danny exclaimed, indignantly.

Ryan burst out laughing, "Our usual spot?" He asked.

Danny looked at Ryan with confusion.

"There is this great place near here that has the most amazing food," CJ clarified, "Their chilli cheese fries are to die for."

"She's addicted to them." Ryan mumbled.

They walked over to the pub/bar place that CJ and Ryan frequented. The place was quite popular with students as the food was good and the booze was cheap.

They grabbed a booth in the back and proceeded to glance over the menu.

"Well, I think alongside my usual cheese fries, I'll get deep fried cauliflower balls and the beef and vegetable skewers." CJ said, after quickly glancing through the menu.

"Sprite to drink?" Ryan asked, neither of them carried fake ID's unless they were planning a night out.

"Yeah, I want to be sober when I watch Fringe later."

"I'm going to get my usual." Ryan added, "How 'bout you Danny?"

"What are their burgers like?" Danny asked.

"Heaven in a bun." CJ mumbled, looking around for a waitress.

"Sounds good."

Ryan flagged down a familiar face.

Bonnie walked over to the table, happy to see some of her favourite regulars.

"Hey guys, good first day of classes?" She asked, pulling her pad out of her apron.

"Yeah, when's your first class start?" Ryan responded.

Bonnie was in her 3rd year, studying economics.

"I got Bartlet tomorrow morning." She replied, "Going to need a lot of coffee for that one. He tends to go off on tangents. I end up going out knowing less than when I went in."

The 3 others burst out laughing. Josiah Bartlet was known for having a brilliant mind but seemed to often go off onto irrelevant subjects during his class.

"Lemme guess Ryan, the usual?" Bonnie asked.

"You know it baby."

"CJ?"

CJ relayed her order to the young woman.

"And for…?"

"Danny, I live with these two."

"Good luck." Bonnie joked.

Danny gave his order to Bonnie with a smile. She seemed very friendly and had a bubbly personality.

"Right, I'll be back with your drinks in just two ticks." She said before walking away.

"I guess you guys come here a LOT." Danny stated.

"At least once a week. The staff are great and honestly, once you've tried their food, you'll never go anywhere else."

"At least not willingly." Ryan added to CJ's statement, causing a laugh from the other two.

The time passed quickly as the conversation flowed. Their food arrived and was consumed at a leisurely pace as they debated politics, discussed movies and Danny quizzed the other two about Fringe.

Ryan had to admit, he'd enjoyed watching CJ and Danny spar with each other over politics. It was good for CJ to have someone who could match her in a bout of wits. It was especially amusing to see how their mutual, albeit unknown, crush was developing.

The bill was eventually paid and the trio wandered over to the bar that Ryan was working at. Here Ryan said his goodbyes and headed to work, leaving CJ and Danny to wander home together.

The pair walked home, stood close to one another, discussing anything and everything. The conversation was easy and light. Both parties feeling incredibly relaxed in the other's presence.


End file.
